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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22868620">What Was the Question?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/picimadar/pseuds/picimadar'>picimadar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gundam Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Church of Lemons, F/M, Lemon, PWP, but with actual plot tho</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:54:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,217</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22868620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/picimadar/pseuds/picimadar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's hard to get the right answer when you're asking the wrong questions.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Duo Maxwell/Hilde Schbeiker, Relena Peacecraft/Heero Yuy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Church Of Lemons (CoL) 2020 Gundam Wing Edition</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Want</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my submission for this year's Church of Lemons event! A huge thank you to Jenjengundamfan for making all of this happen! This is a 4 part arc. I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Heero was thankful he still had power within Preventer; it allowed him to curate moments like this, once in a while. He’d pulled rank and banished Relena’s guards and staff in the morning, waking her up after weeks apart with a steamy kiss and a hot coffee. Relena’s schedule had been rearranged, her appointments shifted here and there, and she had a full day off for the first time in months. They took full advantage of it. Just enough snow had fallen to cover the estate Relena occupied in Brussels in a smooth, quieting white blanket, and they took a long walk around the city, window shopping and talking. When they finally returned home, the sun was starting to set. Relena changed into one of his t-shirts and a grey pair of yoga pants, pulling a long white cardigan over both. The pants hugged the curves of her hips and legs, sculpted from time spent coached by her own yoga instructor, and it hadn’t escaped Heero’s notice. </p><p>The pair had been parked on the couch in her bedroom’s anteroom for a few hours now, grazing on takeout and watching whatever movie she felt like. Over the course of the evening they’d split a bottle of wine and she’d nestled further into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder with his arm wrapped around her.. The TV droned in the background, the lights were dim, and things <em> seemed </em> perfect. Heero steeled himself briefly and took what he thought was his best shot at the question that had been rolling around his head for months.</p><p>“If I asked you to marry me, would you?”</p><p>Relena stirred, lazily dragging her head off Heero’s shoulder to look up at him. “What?” Heero’s expression was flat when he met her eyes before turning his own back to the TV in front of them. “Heero, what do you mean?”</p><p>“You heard me, Relena,” Heero said quietly, shifting his arm out from where it was tucked behind her on the sofa and pulling away from her.</p><p>Relena sat up straighter, her eyes wide. “I…”</p><p>“It’s fine. Just forget it.” Heero reached out reassuringly to put his hand on her knee but continued staring ahead. Disappointment weighed on his chest. <em> Miscalculations: 1 </em>.</p><p>“Heero, I just don’t know what to say…”</p><p>Heero <em> tsk </em>ed and pulled his hand away. “Relena, you orate for a living. You can just say ‘no’. It’s fine.”</p><p>“Oh, as if that’s fair.” Relena straightened her legs out from under her, perching on the edge of the couch to confront him. “You can’t just come at me with that kind of hypothetical-“</p><p>“Why not?” Heero finally turned to face her.</p><p>Relena shrank away, pulling her feet back up and pressing herself into the other corner of the sofa. “Because I don’t know!” She glanced away and wrapped her light cardigan more tightly around her waist. “I haven’t really thought about it.”</p><p>“You’ve <em> never </em> thought about it,” Heero murmured disbelievingly. “We’ve been doing this going on ten years, and it’s <em> never </em> crossed your mind.”</p><p>“That’s not what I said,” Relena retorted. “I just said I don’t know. I don’t… I haven’t thought much about it, truly."</p><p>Heero reached back out and ran his hand along her thigh as he recalled some old advice. <em> Act on my emotions. Great. </em>“I’ve thought about it.”</p><p>“Obviously.” Relena murmured, staring at his hand as his thumb made soft circles against her soft pants. “I wouldn’t have expected that.” She saw his brow furrow out of the corner of her eye. “I didn’t think that was something you’d ever really want.”</p><p>He rolled his eyes back from the TV to meet hers, staring back at him with an anxious expression. <em> How could I be this wrong? Miscalculations: 2. </em>He switched his hold on her thigh and pulled her against him, wrapping his free arm around her again. “Why wouldn’t I want to marry you?”</p><p>“Why would you<em> want </em> to?”</p><p>“… Because I want to be with you?” Heero replied, feeling his frustration mount.</p><p>Her expression softened. “I know that, Heero.”</p><p>“Then what’s the problem?”</p><p>Relena scoffed and extracted herself from his touch, standing and walking across the anteroom. “Marriage requires so many things...”</p><p>“And I don’t meet your requirements,” he muttered, standing to follow her.</p><p>“Heero, that is <em> not </em> what I’m saying.”</p><p>Relena gasped sharply as Heero caught up to her, growling angrily behind her. She whirled to face him but it was too late; he stalked her back until she huffed as her back hit the wall behind her.</p><p>“Then what <em> are </em> you saying?” He stepped up until they were nearly chest to chest.</p><p>“Heero, I don’t-“ Relena gasped as Heero took a hold of her chin and pulled her face to his.</p><p>“Look at me.” Heero stared down into her eyes and watched as she shuddered nervously beneath him. “<em> What </em> are you saying?”</p><p>“Heero, my life is-“ Relena started, pausing as his hand slid from her chin to wrap around the back of her neck, “complicated.” She swallowed nervously before she met his eyes again, straightening in his grasp and pressing a fingertip to his chest. <em> Good. Care enough to fight with me. </em></p><p>“You know fully well what it would mean to be married to me. The events. The travel. The press and all the attention. I already know that you hate it.” Heero drew his face back slightly and guided his other palm between her cardigan and her hip. “I wouldn’t ever expect you to commit to a lifetime of it.” Her voice wavered; he could feel her shallow breathing.</p><p>“You think I don’t want you?” he said softly, pressing closer till he could feel his own hot breath as he kissed along her collar bone.</p><p>Relena breathed a short laugh and Heero moved his hand from her hip to the small of her back as she leaned into him. “I know that you <em> want </em> me, Heero,” she breathed, turning her face toward his and capturing his lips with hers. When she released him, her gaze was cast back down to his chest.</p><p>“So what, then?” He leaned in and kissed her forehead and traced his nose down to her temple. “I want you, but not enough to share your life?” He watched as she breathed out the last of a breath silently, watching her shoulders angle in and the corner of her lips drag down. “You think that I’d give up? One day I’ll have had my fill of you, and I’ll just move on?” Heero tried to remain on task while he watched Relena’s chest heave unevenly beneath her t-shirt.</p><p>“I <em> want </em> you, Relena,” he whispered, grasping her jaw between his thumb and fingers. “Just you.” Heero kissed her just beneath her ear and felt her breath leave her as her face tilted back up toward his. “You think I’m just going to turn around and run away?”</p><p>Relena’s lips parted just next to his. “You’ve done it before.”</p><p>“That was different,” Heero maneuvered, “we’ve changed.” He tried to kiss her, but she turned her head away and slipped out of his grasp. <em> Miscalculations: 3. </em> “Relena, come back,” Heero said quietly as he followed her. She paced into her bedroom and Heero shut the door behind them. “Relena, talk to me.”  </p><p>Cold ran over Heero’s head and through the back of his neck, right down to his toes as Relena spun on her heel to face him. <em> Oh, fuck. Critical error. </em> “If you asked me, I wouldn’t say ‘yes’’. Her entire countenance was screaming something Heero couldn’t decipher; instinctually, he felt his blood pressure and pulse rise as she glared at him, her hands balled in fists at her sides. </p><p><em> Well, that’s obvious </em> . Heero bit back the retort and took a fraction of a moment to consider his options. <em> Where’s ZERO when you really need it? </em>“Relena, please just talk to me.” He stepped up to her and wrapped her in his arms again. He felt himself relax as she pressed against him, her hands running along his back. </p><p>“I don’t want to.” She pressed her own kisses now onto the crook of his neck. “Heero, you’re the only one that I want.” Relena looked up at him through her lashes, sea blue eyes meeting night sky, and Heero knew he’d been had. <em> Or was about to be. </em> “Is that not enough?” </p><p>Heero gave the smallest sigh as he looked back at her and smiled, near imperceptibly. <em> Go for it, or it’s Miscalculation 4. </em> “You’re so much more than enough.” He leaned in and kissed her, flicking his tongue against her lips. Her lips smiled against his and he made up his mind. </p><p>
  <em> Mission failed. Live to fight another day. </em>
</p><p>Heero continued to kiss her as he guided her back against the wall of her bedroom again, enjoying watching as she kept her eyes closed, trusting as he cradled the back of her head in one hand and the small of her back in the other so she pressed against the wall slowly, gently. That wasn’t truly their way, though; intensity was the name of the game, and Heero came to deliver.</p><p>Heero used the hand at the small of her back to press her against him and the other to thread into her hair and pull her head back so her face pressed up to his. He relished in her gasp and crushed his lips against hers, kneading her hip and feeling her press back to him with the same fervor. She moaned into his mouth and he took the opportunity to sweep his tongue over hers. His grip loosened on her hair and she melted into him, purring as he ran his hand down her back and up under her shirt to cup her breast. <em> No bra. Fantastic </em>.</p><p>Relena broke away from his kiss and sighed against his neck, one leg wrapping around his. He took the signal and grabbed her by her soft thighs and lifted her easily into his arms. Relena showered him with kisses, on his mouth, across his cheeks, on his neck as he carried her; she laughed as Heero released her and she fell back into her bed. </p><p>“Help me,” Heero commanded as he grasped and stretched the thigh of her pants, and Relena complied instantly, reaching down and raising her pelvis to slide them over her ass. Heero reached up and pressed a thumb into the ridge of each newly bare hip briefly, holding them up before pulling the pants down past her knees before practically tearing them off completely.</p><p>Relena sat up quickly and leaned toward him, pulling up his shirt to kiss along his muscled stomach and Heero quickly dispatched of that offending garment as well. An involuntary sigh escaped him as her lips traced downward and her hands opened his pants and pulled them down, letting his already rock hard cock free. A perfectly manicured hand wrapped around his shaft and he felt the other carefully palm his sack as she peered up at him through her lashes, smiling, before opening her mouth and swirling her tongue across his tip. <em> How are you this perfect? </em></p><p>It was his turn to gasp as she quickly took him in her mouth and pressed all the way down to the base, sucking hard. Heero reached down and swept her hair out of her face and pulled her back up roughly. Her lips sucked against him loudly before his cock escaped her mouth with a slight <em> pop </em>. Her pink tongue ran over her lips and she opened her mouth again, closing her eyes, waiting for him. He felt Relena moan greedily as he plunged his cock back into her mouth, pulling on her hair to tilt her head up until he could feel the back of her throat. </p><p>Relena was continually surprising him. Her tenacity had inspired him, as she stood up to any challenge in her path. Her fragility had shocked him as she cried in his arms at night, more than once. Most importantly her absolute boldness, spreading her legs and smiling up at him. “Come get me.”</p><p>He obeyed, grabbing her under her thighs and dragging her to the edge of the bed. His 5 o’clock shadow scratched against her thighs as he buried his face in her pussy, tasting her, licking from her hood to where her body was weeping evidence of her readiness for him. He smiled and pushed his tongue into her warm entrance as she moaned his name and ran her fingers through his hair, trapping him with her thighs. With the introduction of two skilled fingers, Relena was undone.</p><p>“Please, Heero,” she panted, leaning up on her elbows. Her lover paused and cleared the residue of her arousal from his face, enjoying her tiny wince as his face rasped against her skin. “Please.”</p><p>There had been many instances like this that Heero had tried to commit to memory, but none could compare to the real thing. He looked up at Relena from where he kneeled and took the time to marvel at her openly; she blushed even further as he ran his rough hands up the sides of her legs, kneaded her hips and stood up. </p><p>“‘Please’ what?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes and sat up, stripping off her cardigan and t-shirt while Heero dropped his pants and boxers to the floor and advanced on her. His eyes narrowed and Relena squealed in anticipation. He pushed her back against the bed and lay half over her, pinning her legs with one of his. “Tell me, Relena.” He chuckled as she tried to give him a stubborn glare, reaching out and pinching her nipple as he pinned her arm and grabbed her opposite wrist. Hearing the tiny cry she let out, his cock twitched against her hip demandingly. <em> Say it. </em></p><p>“Heero, <em> please </em>.” She was writhing beneath him; while she attempted to extract her legs from his vice-like hold, her chest arched up and Heero helped himself, leaning down and licking one pink nipple before biting and dragging it through his teeth. He watched as her hair fanned out behind her, head thrown back exposing the perfect skin of her long neck while she cried out again. </p><p>He eased her further up the bed before climbing on top of her, using one hand on the back of each thigh to press her legs up and around his hips. “Say it, Relena.” One hand ran down the back of her thigh and smacked her ass, causing her to wince again. Relena retaliated, her hand sneaking down to grasp Heero’s cock and smiling as he bucked into her hand. </p><p><em> That’s it </em>. Heero glared with concentration as he carefully pried himself out of his lover’s grasp, grabbed each of Relena’s wrists and pressed the free bases of his thumbs against her thighs, forcing her legs back and wide open again. She panted helplessly as he carefully thrust forward and ran the tip of his cock down her slit, pausing at her opening. “Please,” she whispered, and he felt her arms relax as she submitted. “Please fuck me, Heero.”</p><p>She was driven back by Heero’s thrust, barely finishing her request before he forced the first gasp from her lips. An involuntary groan followed from them both, Relena barely enunciating ‘Ugh, <em> yes’ </em> as he buried his generous girth inside her. The heat from her core was exquisite, as always, and Heero savored every gasp and moan as he rocked against her. He watched as she moved her captive arms slowly, opening her hands and grasping behind her knees, welcoming in even more of his length. </p><p>He growled and felt her walls tighten around him at the sound while he leaned further over his captive princess and fucked her. Her cries became erratic and rushed under his punishing pace until he finally released her legs and leaned over her, capturing her lips. He closed his eyes and the crest of his pleasure washed over him; when he opened them, Heero came as he watched Relena unravel under him, her body mimicking the quaking fervour her sheath performed around him. Heero leaned down and caught his breath as they recovered, letting his guard down as Relena leaned forward and bit him where his neck met his shoulder. He hissed as he sat up, withdrawing his cock and watching the products of their orgasm flood out of the coyly smiling woman beneath him. </p><p>“‘More than enough’?” she murmured, tracing her fingers along his abs. She laughed again as he used his strength to roll and pull her on top of him.</p><p>“Not yet.”</p><p>
  <em> Mission failed. Proceed to phase two.  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Need</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A very special thank you to Wings Landing for betaing for me!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Heero looked around the ballroom carefully for possibly the hundredth time that night. Six exits, 14 uniformed guards, 6 plainclothes agents, and most importantly, Relena, there, chatting eagerly with a friend. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Security: … Acceptable.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Man, I knew the wedding was going to be an 'event’, you know, but this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>swanky</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Duo said a bit too loudly, downing whatever little was left in his glass. </span>
  <em>
    <span>His 5th glass..</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero didn’t really have a response- of course Dorothy Catalonia’s wedding was going to be ‘</span>
  <em>
    <span>swanky’</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Immaculate centrepieces, Michelin-starred food, a world class band torn from another engagement, and if the tabloids were to be believed, a half-a-million-dollar wedding dress. While they were a part of the wedding party, Dorothy </span>
  <em>
    <span>naturally</span>
  </em>
  <span> wanted it to be her and her new husband alone on the dais. The bridesmaids and groomsmen sat below, dispersed amongst the other guests. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“This is why I’m glad we eloped,” Duo commented again to no-one, kissing his wife’s hand sloppily as she returned to the table with yet another tumbler of something dark for him from the bar. “I mean this is great, really-” he swung his arm around, somehow not spilling his drink, “-but sometimes you gotta just </span>
  <em>
    <span>do it</span>
  </em>
  <span>, no frills.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilde smiled and guided Duo’s arm back to the safety of the table. “Totally. </span>
  <em>
    <span>This</span>
  </em>
  <span> dress is enough as it is, I can’t even imagine wearing </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>all night.” Hilde nodded to where Dorothy and Quatre were making their rounds from table to table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You look great though, babe,” Duo grinned and grabbed Hilde’s thigh under the table. “Plus, you didn’t get stuck wearing what Dorothy picked for her bridesmaids!” Duo swept his empty hand to the crowd before pointing back at Heero. “You know, we got off easy. At least a suit is just a suit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero looked back across their corner of the room toward Relena again; while he remembered her bemoaning how revealing and uncomfortable the dresses Dorothy had chosen would be, nobody could deny she looked stunning. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail that only accentuated the daringly low back of the sapphire blue dress; while the edge of the a-line skirt skimmed the floor, it was accompanied by a deep slit that ran up Relena’s thigh. Heero allowed himself to be mesmerized by it for a moment before realizing she was looking back at him, just past the gentleman who seemed to have cornered her in conversation. The gentleman turned to see where her attention had gone, met Heero’s penetrating stare and quickly excused himself, freeing Relena to return to the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did he want?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena gave Heero a small frown before picking up her champagne flute. “It’s just Minister Frasier’s son. His father hasn’t been well, and Cameron was just telling me how he was faring.” She locked her blue eyes with his for a moment and he hated himself for the look of fear that flitted over her face when she said the man’s name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A friend of yours?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not particularly, no.” Relena took a drink of her champagne and watched as Heero’s gaze darkened and looked towards Cameron Frazier’s form mingling back with the crowd before reaching his own table. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Good</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Heero internally glowered, realizing too late that it had telegraphed to his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena’s set down her glass as angily as she could without damaging the crystal, breaking his focus on the enemy target. “My coworker’s son, Heero? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Seriously</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” She rolled her eyes and stalked away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jesus, Heero,” Hilde muttered, taking a quick swig of champagne before following her friend. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dark-haired man prepared a glare in advance as Duo took a deep breath and whistled a cliche downward sliding note beside him. “You gotta get a grip, pal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s what I’m trying to do,” Heero gritted, leaning in to take the champagne bottle and refill his glass. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can’t just marry her because you don’t want other men breathing the same air, dude.” Heero looked at Duo questioningly before his friend burst out laughing. Duo had a unique, booming laugh at times; accentuated by the alcohol, many heads turned toward the two young men left at their table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero sensed Wufei's approach behind him. “Besides, who says she even wants to marry you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck this</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Heero stood and stormed away, making sure to throw a poisonous glare toward Cameron’s direction before stepping into the marble tiled foyer. The event hall was enormous; the walk to the bathrooms gave Heero more than enough time to cool his blood. He heard Relena quietly talking from inside the closed women’s room; pulling out his phone, he pretended to read it as he listened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not him,” she sighed. “It’s me. He’d probably marry me tomorrow.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So why not do it?” Hilde probed. “You know he wouldn’t stick around if he didn’t want to be with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know… I’m just not sure he wants it for the right reasons. I’m not sure I’d be marrying him for the right reasons, either.”  Relena finished washing and drying her hands.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What wrong reason could there be? You two are meant for each other and you know it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Damn right</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’re so certain,” Relena deflected. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh my dear god.” Hilde’s shoes tapped across the marble floor. “Stop being difficult and just marry the man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not being difficult. I just don’t think he wants me for the right reasons.” Her clutch snapped shut. “He’s just jealous. Ever since Porter, he’s been so...”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Porter Davis was literally obsessively stalking you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero felt the hair on his neck stand on end hearing the man’s name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, but that doesn’t mean-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relena, it scared the shit out of all of us. I can’t imagine how Heero felt.” He heard Hilde’s feet shuffle a little more. “Maybe he isn’t jealous. Maybe he’s just scared.” He heard his target sigh again. “You two really need to just talk.” Hilde stepped up to the door. “I’m heading back to the table. Fingers crossed Duo hasn’t tried to talk anyone into playing beer pong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good luck!” There was a hint of a smile on Relena’s voice. Heero slid his phone back into his jacket as Hilde opened the door; she paused a moment and looked him over. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s all yours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>One can hope</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Heero gave the hallway a quick glance to ensure no-one else was approaching before darting inside the washroom and locking the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heero, what are you doing!?” Relena called out shrilly, her cheeks flushing as pink as the gloss she had just finished brushing over her lips. “Get out of here!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero stepped toward her, speaking quietly. “Relena, Hilde is right. We need to talk about this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s rude to eavesdrop,” she chastised him. “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> talking to you about this right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then when?” Heero asked as Relena tried to walk past him; her skirt billowed revealing the milky skin of her leg and thigh. “Please just talk to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is not acceptable for you to act like every man I speak to is some kind of threat! What happened with Porter was just… he was out of his </span>
  <em>
    <span>mind</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Heero!” Relena took a breath and spoke again, quietly. “What he did could have happened to anyone! He could have targeted anyone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he picked </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Heero’s voice was quiet. “He tried to take you from me, Relena.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could see her blush spreading as she huffed in frustration, the rosy glow spreading from her cheeks down her neck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Beautiful.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to marry you so you can stop worrying about some other man stealing me away from you.” She reached out and unlocked the door, opening it an inch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t mean steal you from me,” he said, reaching out to close the door and locking it again. “I mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>taking</span>
  </em>
  <span> you from me.” Heero kept his arm outstretched, cornering Relena between him and the wall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And all the same, I can’t marry you because you’re afraid.” Her clear blue eyes looked away toward the floor. “And I can’t marry you because </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> afraid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Afraid of what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That you’ll change your mind. One day you’ll wake up and realize it wasn’t worth it, that you were just overreacting because you were scared.” When she looked back up at him, her eyes were glassy; instinctually he reached out and wrapped an arm around her back. His fingertips brushed against her bare skin and he took a deep breath, focusing on the smoothness of her skin under his thumb and the smell of her perfume.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not going to change my mind.” Heero reached up and brushed her ponytail back over her shoulder, feeling the curls fall over the fingers of his other hand. “I’ve never changed my mind. And I’ll never run away from you, ever again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you’re afraid.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because I know what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>cost</span>
  </em>
  <span> is,” he corrected breathlessly. “I know what I stand to lose.” Heero felt as though a weight was pressing down against his chest, crushing him, as he pulled her closer. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> lose you, Relena.” She bridged the gap and tilted her head up to kiss him gently; he obliged but came back to his senses. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Remember the mission. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I want to be married to you. I need you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughed against his lips. “You don’t need me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I do.” Heero murmured, kissing her again and guiding her away from the door. The kiss and  the thought of her smooth skin under her dress caused his manhood to strain against the confines of his pants; he couldn’t resist reaching a hand into the slit of her skirt and brushing his fingers against her thigh. Relena’s breaths became heavy and she pulled apart from him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you need me?” Heero asked, again feeling that inescapable weight on his chest. It melted away as Relena looked up at him and whispered, “of course I do, Heero”. He released a breath he hadn’t realized he held. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course you do..</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He watched her close her eyes and let out a quiet, keening sign as he ran a finger over her sex though her panties. “Do you need me now?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Heero,” she breathed. “Yes.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He lifted her by her waist and sat her on the bathroom counter, pulling her skirt open at the slit and taking in the sight of her creamy skin and thin blue panties. Relena wrapped her legs around him and ran her hands over his muscled chest as he undid his belt. In a few skilled movements his cock was freed, her thong pulled to the side and the thick head of his cock was inside her; she sighed and arched her back as he pulled her hips to the edge of the counter. She braced one hand back as he slowly pressed into her. Heero pulled back and pressed in again, further, patiently waiting for her body to adjust to the sizeable intrusion. Leaning down and kissing her neck, he pushed the thin straps of Relena’s dress over her shoulders. The cut of the dress caused it to fall to her elbows; Heero panted against her skin and watched her newly exposed pink nipples grow hard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she reached out to wrap a small hand around his hip he knew she was ready, and he started driving into her with a careful rhythm. He could see the care she was taking care to stay quiet; she bit her bottom lip hard enough to blanch it before he leaned in and kissed her, his tongue running over her lips before flicking against hers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>More</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lifting Relena, Heero deftly pulled his cock from her, turned her around and watched pridefully as she automatically readied herself against the counter’s edge, leaning forward. Sweeping her skirt out of the way, Heero pulled down her drenched undergarment, grasped the base of his staff and rubbed its head against her wet folds before delving back inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gave a moan that echoed slightly in the marble-tiled bathroom as she began pushing back into his thrusts; Heero reached out and closed his one hand over her mouth before using the free hand to take her arm at the elbow and pull her back against him, driving his cock even deeper inside her. He felt his orgasm building as she moaned against his palm, watching himself fuck her in the mirror. Their eyes met in the reflection just as Heero let go of her arm and instead pressed his palm on the small of her back, adjusting the angle of his thrusts and hammering the head of his cock along the top of Relena’s channel. Her eyes closed as she gasped and cried out, still muffled by his hand, pushing against the counter to meet the intensity of his punishing pace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Soon she came hard, laying on the counter as she shuddered and gasped against his hand. He watched the pleasure wash over her face and a few thrusts later he followed, taking his hand off his partner’s mouth and pulling her hips against his, kneading them with his strong hands and groaning her name. He stroked his hand through her hair and down her back before snatching one of the nearby hand towels to catch the evidence of their tryst as he pulled out of her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena sighed happily, reaching down to pull up her underwear and readjust her dress. “If there are people waiting out there, we are </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to hear the end of this.” She reopened her clutch to touch up her makeup.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero smiled and tossed the towel into the basket with the other used ones. “They’ll live.” Once she decided she was presentable, Heero unlocked the door and looked out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dorothy was perched on a sofa on the opposite wall, holding her champagne flute out to them in a toast. “The maid of honor fucking someone in the bathroom at her best friend’s wedding,” Dorothy murmured sweetly. “I could </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be more proud of you.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Indispensible</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A 2xH lemon.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A huge thanks again to Wings Landing for betaing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>This is desperation. Distilled desperation</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Heero sighed angrily for the nth time as he looked around Duo’s kitchen. When they were needed in Brussels, Preventer put them up in different safehouses and dwellings in the city; since Duo and Hilde’s family turned out to be growing, they stayed in a stylish townhouse not far from HQ. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“After all this, you’re telling me you haven’t even properly asked her yet?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I tried!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Tried’ how?” Duo leaned back and swirled the coffee around his cup. “You haven’t actually just said ‘Will you marry me’... have you?” The mental anguish of Duo Maxwell having the experiential upper hand was too much for Heero; he rolled his eyes and took a drink of his coffee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not exactly.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo cackled madly. “You’re that chicken? Or do you just keep getting ‘distracted’?” Duo leered as he air-quoted the word; rumor had gotten around about certain goings on at a certain wedding reception.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck off.” Heero dropped his own mug against the table and unleashed his best ‘you better hope I don’t kill you’ signature glare; naturally, it was powerless against the God of Death. Duo laughed in the face of Heero’s threat, stepping away to top up his caffeine fix. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, it could happen to anybody, Heero,” Duo jeered. “Proves you’re really human after all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How did </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> pull it off then, genius?” Heero countered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo thought back on the day he and Hilde got engaged and shrugged. “I mean, it’s pretty simple…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>----------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo had finally gotten back from a mission with Preventer; a supposedly three-week intervention had turned into a six-week slog. Between the real effort of dealing with the insurgents to the paperwork involved, Duo was exhausted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Walking in the door to the tucked away dwelling he and Hilde shared in the colonies, he could feel the chill in the air. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, damn,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he internally murmured, dropping his bag in the hallway and kicking off his boots. “Babe?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He listened for an answer, but none came. Duo sighed and shrugged out of his Preventer jacket, hanging it over the bannister before trudging upstairs. He needed his Hilde, but beforehand he desperately needed a shower. He was coated in sweat and gunpowder; his skin itched under his clothes and he shed them as soon as he reached the bathroom. Duo turned the shower water on and set it to high heat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Babe?” he called again, but the place was dead silent. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Did she go out?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He’d messaged her along the way letting her know they’d gotten held up, and again to tell her he was on his way home; he knew she’d been stressed about some upcoming deadlines they had for their machining projects, and hadn’t thought much of her one-word replies.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finishing pulling off his dirty clothes and stepping into the shower, he groaned as the hot water coursed over his skin. The water ran cloudy and he started undoing his braid to wash out his long hair. Soap, shampoo and conditioner washed down the drain before the water finally ran clear. Duo sighed and tried to release the tension in his neck, turning his back to the showerhead and letting the stream run over it. He heard the door to the bathroom slowly creak open and his heart leapt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You alive in there?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo smiled. “Yeah, but I could be better.” He stretched his arms behind his back and down to his sides, groaning slightly while rotating one shoulder, babying it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard Hilde snort quietly. “I bet.” She pulled back the curtain a bit and eyed him over before motioning for him to turn around. She ran her fingers next to a long line of broken skin, held together with stitches. “Are you okay, Duo?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The concern in her voice melted him. “I’ll be alright,” he assured her, turning off the water and wringing out his hair. “It’ll take a lot more than that to kill me.” Hilde passed him one towel which he used to wrap up his hair; he felt his heart swell as she passed him a second so he could dry off his body.  When he fully opened the curtain and stepped out, Hilde was leaning against the bathroom counter, arms crossed around her chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know.” She turned her face away as he dropped the towel covering his waist and started using the one atop his head to dry out his hair. “Six weeks? We’ve lost clients! It’s not like I can just say ‘oh, sorry, my partner’s a Gundam pilot and he’s too busy going out kicking ass!’” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Damn. Can’t even distract my way out of this one.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, baby.” Duo stepped up next to her to look in the mirror as he brushed out and rebraided his hair. “I didn’t think it’d go on so long, but you know how it is…” She huffed. “Besides, we’ve got more work than we can handle right now. If we lose a few jobs, it’s not the end of the world.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilde eyed him testily. “That’s not the point.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then what is the point?” Duo finished his braid and turned from looking in the mirror. “We’ve talked about this… I know it’s inconvenient but it’s not like I can make terrorists only terrorize during our off-season. It’s just something we have to respond to.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span> don’t have to, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo sighed. “No, I guess not. But it wouldn’t feel right, just walking away from it. Someone would have to take my place.” He reached a hand out and she let him take her hand in his. “I know, I know. One day I’ll die and someone will replace me, and the human race will continue on regardless.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you can’t be replaced. Not to me, anyway.” She turned away from him, her brows drawn together as she continued to frown. “Preventer can. But I can’t.” Her eyes grew glossy and Duo squeezed her small hand in his. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I couldn’t do it without you, any of this… and I don’t want to.” He stepped up and wrapped his arms around her, trapping her against his naked body and laughing as she halfheartedly struggled to free herself. “I can’t replace you, either. If it all makes you this unhappy, I’ll quit right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He boosted her up to sit on the counter and kissed her. After six weeks, he had missed everything about her; her taste, her touch, the way she laughed when he invariably screwed up cooking, the way she looked into his eyes when they woke up together in the morning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” he breathed, pressing his forehead against hers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Duo...” Hilde sighed. “You can’t just quit. I know how much it means to you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Doesn’t mean as much as you do,” he reassured, kissing her again. “If I had to choose between you and anything else, I’d pick you, every time.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilde smiled at him, running a hand through his still-drying bangs. “I don’t want to make you choose, Duo.” She pressed her lips to his again. “I just want you to be happy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It makes me happy to make </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> happy.” Duo ran his hands down her sides before playing with the edge of her shirt. “Things have been slowing down… this is the only time they’ve called on me this year. Maybe they don’t need me anymore. I’d much rather be here trying to make you happy, at the end of it all.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You do make me happy.” Hilde said plainly, running her hands down his chest. “It’s just hard when you’re gone... Although, you could make it up to me...” When she glanced up at him, her gaze was scorching; Duo smiled devilishly and snatched her off the counter and into his arms. Hilde laughed as he carried her to their bedroom and kicked the door closed behind him before carefully placing her back on the bed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He climbed into bed next to her and wrapped an arm behind her neck, kissing her slowly. He’d been gone longer than he’d intended, and right now he wanted to soak up as much of Hilde as he could. After a few increasingly deep kisses, she bit his lower lip and Duo felt her breathing hasten. Breaking their embrace, he sat up so she could scurry out of her clothes, tossing them to the floor. He smiled as she climbed over, perching in front of his prone body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo stroked his cock a few times as she licked her lips before taking over the task. Hilde ran her hands over his length before leaning in and licking it with a flat tongue starting from the base. By the time she reached the tip his hand was on the back of her head, waiting for her as she opened her mouth and started to suck on him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>, babe.” His groan only fueled her desire. Once he was rock hard, she paused, glancing up with a hopeful, wide-eyed expression. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, don’t worry, it’s your turn</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He moved down the bed and pushed her onto her back, grabbing the back of her thighs and attacking her sex voraciously with his mouth, dragging tongue and lips over it. Years of practice had served him well, and he knew just how Hilde liked to be eaten; he moved his tongue over her entrance a few times before moving up to suck her pearl, trading his tongue for one finger. Eagerly he added a second as he listened to her moan his name, turning his palm up and dragging them along the top of her core. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Duo,” she gasped, and he increased his pace, thrusting his fingers against her g-spot as he sucked hard on her clit. Within a few moments she cried out his name again as she came, her thighs closing around his face, trapping him. He smiled and continued to lick her center before she reached down to push his face away. “Oh, Duo, enough.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough?” he smiled. “You sure?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughed as she came down off her orgasm. “Enough of </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, anyway.” Duo fully extracted himself from her. His attention turned to their bedside tables as he repositioned his hips between her legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, shit,” Duo muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think we’ve got condoms.” He cussed again under his breath, leaning over to open a bedside table drawer and rummage through it. “Not unless you picked any up…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe we don’t need one,” Hilde murmured. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The young man could feel his heart thudding in his chest as he met her eyes. “... Really?” Hilde nodded. “Now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why not?” she chirped. “We’ve already decided… Unless now you think you can’t-” Hilde laughed as Duo tried to silence her with a deep kiss. “Let’s try, Duo. I want to.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He obliged, pulling her hips closer to his and nestling the head of his cock at her apex. “If you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>sure</span>
  </em>
  <span>, babe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Totally,” she murmured dreamily. “Come on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pressed into her and they both took their moment to luxuriate in the sensation of being joined once again. They shared a few kisses as he tested the waters, enjoying the very rare opportunity to feel her with no constraints, no barriers. “Hilde, you’re perfect,” he breathed against her neck, feeling her shudder beneath him. He plunged his length into her a few more times. “Baby,” he said, and she turned her eyes up at him. “Marry me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” she laughed, interrupted by a well-timed thrust. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I mean it,” Duo said, leaning on an elbow and settling down on top of her. “Marry me. If we’re going to do this, make this, I want to do it right.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilde covered her face with her hands, half laughing. “You are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> proposing to me while you’re inside me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Might be, Hil. I might be.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She started openly laughing and he felt it from where their bodies were joined. “You are out of your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Certifiable,” Duo agreed. “Crazy for you.” He withdrew and pushed into her carefully again; Hilde ground her hips against his, prompting him to thrust deeper. She was forced to trade her laughter for a gruff moan that ignited Duo’s fervor. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jesus, </span>
  </em>
  <span>babe,” Duo breathed. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Marry me</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” Hilde breathed, chanting it as he began to delve into her with a dedicated rhythm. Her words devolved into moans as he continued, pausing only to lift her legs and perch her feet on his shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God, Duo,” she gasped, feeling the head of his cock penetrating along the top of her channel, pressing against her most sensitive spot again. He teased her along the way, slowing his pace and increasing until she began to cry out, then slowing. “Duo, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just taking my time, babe,” he crooned, kissing the inside of one calf before releasing her legs, grinning as she moaned sadly when they parted. “Turn over.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He celebrated when she did turn, revealing her pert rear. It demanded a slight spank and he gave it before repositioning his cock and diving back into her. Duo pressed his hands against the small of her back, pinning her and groaning as her hands reached out to grasp at their sheets. Her breaths were short and punctuated with small cries as he pounded into her; a few contained his name, a few contained short curses, and of course a smattering of </span>
  <em>
    <span>yes</span>
  </em>
  <span>’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo could feel his climax building and he leaned down, moving one hand to brace on the bed by her shoulder. “Baby, you’re sure-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Duo, please!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He groaned her name as he came inside her, spilling his seed into her and feeling her spasm around his member as she followed. Duo stayed kneeling with his cock buried inside her for a moment, catching his breath and letting the last wave of pleasure wash over him before pulling his length out and sprawling out next to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hilde glanced over to him with a satisfied smile. “I love you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you too, babe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo grinned and watched as Hilde smiled back at him, curling up against his side. “I’ll marry you. Baby, or no baby.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-------------------</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Duo snapped back from his reverie. Heero still looked completely unamused; Duo wasn’t exactly sure how long he’d been sitting there, but a sip of his coffee showed it was at least still hot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe you just gotta try fucking, then asking?” </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another huge thanks goes out to JenJenGundamFan for making this year's Church of Lemons a huge success!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The bedroom was quiet and dark, illuminated only by the dim blue light of the laptop Heero was quietly and rapidly typing on. Occasionally his eyes would glance over to the lone figure sleeping in the bed before returning his focus to his task. When he heard his partner start stirring he put the laptop aside and quickly went to join her. Relena breathed a quiet sigh just as he climbed back into bed, nestling himself in and wrapping her in his arms. She made a small questioning noise, not yet fully awake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was working,” the young man murmured, tracing his nose along her ear. “Go back to sleep.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What time is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Five.” Heero gave a tiny smile and rolled his eyes as she groaned. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shh</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Go back to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t have to get back in with me if you’re already up, you know,” she murmured, her voice hoarse with sleep and eyes still closed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you hate waking up alone.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena smiled slightly and shifted her shoulders a bit. “What were you working on?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero was silent for a beat. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God dammit, come up with something</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Surveillance.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena’s eyes snapped open and she turned over to face him. “You better tell me you aren’t up at five in the morning looking for him,” she seethed, flush appearing on her cheeks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero took a fortifying breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Busted. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I was up at </span>
  <em>
    <span>three</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the morning looking for him.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena sighed angrily and threw back the duvet and sheet, climbing out of bed. She stormed to the ensuite bathroom in her light chemise and slammed the door behind her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What a way to start the day</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Heero dragged his hands down his face and paced back over to the couch and his computer, saving the very few leads he had found and backtracking any trace of the less-than-legal methods he’d used to find them. One process was still running, a deep-dive search of facial recognition data parsed from different cameras and surveillance systems around the Earth Sphere and the colonies. Heero decided to let it continue; while he had legal access to the AI used to interpret the feeds and images, it had been some time since he’d let the program search Preventer's database. He heard Relena turn the shower on and decided to finish writing a few final notes before trying his luck with her again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Do I knock or just go in? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Heero wondered as he approached the bathroom door. He decided to play it safe and knock; he heard Relena scoff irritably as she called, “you can just come in!”. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Humans need to come with a manual</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He opened the door and stepped inside, catching her just as she was about to step into the large glassed-in shower. She was already naked, testing the water with one hand before she stepped in and closed the door of the shower behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero stepped up to the glass and stripped off his shirt, making no effort to hide that he was leering at her. She avoided acknowledging him as she entered into the stream of hot water and wet her hair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re beautiful,” he said quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, you think you can get out of it just like that?” Relena muttered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>I know what I want to get into, either way.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena scoffed before beginning to watch him from the corner of her eye; he finished undressing and opened the door to step in beside her. The little rush of cooler air into the shower caused goosebumps to appear up her arms; Heero felt his breaths hasten as he watched her nipples harden.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut that,” Relena said, nodding to the door before reaching for her shampoo and preparing to wash her hair. Heero did as he was bid and then reached for his own products. After lathering his hair and body, he stepped into the wide stream of water and rinsed it out, watching as Relena did the same. Their eyes met and she looked away, grasping at her conditioner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero swept his wet bangs out of his face and turned to grab Relena’s poofy pink loofah, dosing it with her body-wash. She startled slightly when he started to rub it across her back, but he steadied her with a hand over her shoulder. Her hands continued working conditioner into the ends of her hair as he washed her back, relishing the smooth feeling of her soapy skin under his free hand. She sighed as he ran his palm back over her shoulder and up to her neck, and he carefully flexed his strong hand to massage the muscles there. Heero smiled behind her back as he stepped up close to her, trapped the loofah between his chest and her back, and used both hands to continue his ministrations. Pressing his thumbs against the muscles high on her shoulder, he felt her tense up and then slowly relax. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heero, stop,” she finally said, taking his hands in hers and pushing them off her skin. Heero grabbed the loofah again as she turned to face him. “You can’t just do that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She glared at him. “You know perfectly well ‘what’. You </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> keep looking for him, Heero. And you definitely can’t just be sweet to me and think that makes everything alright.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero sighed, looking her up and down as he did. “Why does it matter what I do in my free time?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It matters because it affects my life! I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> it was you who cancelled my trip to North America.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relena, it’s not safe-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing is safe!” She raised her voice, snatching the loofah from him and scrubbing it angrily on her arms and the rest of her body before stowing it back on the holding hook.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re overreacting.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m</span>
  </em>
  <span> overreacting?” Relena rounded on him, as she dragged her fingers through her hair under the stream of water, rinsing out the conditioner. Heero willed himself not to stare, but it was a true challenge as she arched her back and raised her arms over her head, exposing her chest to him. “You went without sleep for </span>
  <em>
    <span>six days </span>
  </em>
  <span>looking for him</span>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Heero!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, and I’d do it again! You know exactly what he would have done to you, he told you to your face!” He closed the gap between them again, pressing one palm against the wall behind her. He couldn’t resist trying to run one soapy hand along her flat stomach and over one breast, but she reached down and stopped him. “I’m never going to give anything less than one hundred percent to protect you, Relena. Why does that make you more afraid?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you’ve never acted like this. So many people have tried to hurt me, and you’ve never been like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>. If you’re this afraid of him, I need to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>deadly</span>
  </em>
  <span> afraid and I can’t live my life like that!” Her voice broke. “I just- I can’t.” Relena grimaced and turned away from him, facing back into the stream of water and holding her face in her hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero narrowed his eyes and frowned, stepping even closer so he was speaking into her ear. “I will shoulder all of it. I don’t want you to live your life feeling afraid or scared.” He wrapped his arms around her, taking hold of her small hands in his. “I want to be the person right here who takes care of it so you don’t even have to think about it.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She slid her hands down to her neck and held her arms tight against her; her hands were still entrapped in his as she nestled them under her chin. “And the way you plan to do that is just </span>
  <em>
    <span>dissecting</span>
  </em>
  <span> my life. Everything. Everyone I speak to. Every meeting. Every trip. Everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero sighed. “Relena, I’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> dissected your life. I get paid to do it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why is it like this now? Why is it different now!?”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He enjoyed watching the tiny thrill that ran down Relena’s back as he growled, “because now you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>mine</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Letting go of his hold on her hands, he glided his palms down her arms to pause and grasp her ribcage, then slid them down the sides of her body. “Because I want you, Relena. I need you. If anything happened to you, I don’t know how I’d live without you.” He stepped around so he blocked the stream of water from hitting her with his back, his hands still gliding around the skin of her soapy hips. “I’m sorry it took me so long to know it… but I won’t ever forget it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heero…” she breathed, gazing at him through her lashes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He brushed a thumb over Relena’s lower lip as it trembled. “I love you, Relena.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you too,” she whispered, flicking out her tongue against the pad of his thumb. Another shiver ran through her as she felt his hard manhood brush against her hip; she reached out and wrapped her hand around it, using her other hand to press his thumb further into her mouth to suck on it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Remember the goddamn mission</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Heero groaned, “Relena, wait," and she stopped, pulling his thumb from her mouth. “I mean it. I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know, Heero.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stepped back, looking her in her eyes. “I want to marry you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighed, looking away uneasily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you dodging me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you want to marry me before?” Relena wouldn’t look back at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you think you’d be flying to Antarctica over a boy like me before?” Heero asked incredulously. “Did you think that you would be Queen of the World?” Heero leaned back and sat on the tiled bench in the back of the shower. “Circumstances change people, Relena. I can’t know who I would have been without everything that’s happened.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The room was humid and warm, and he felt himself pant as Relena stepped over, ran a hand through his damp hair and climbed into his lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You really just want me to be your wife,” she said, rising up onto her knees and settling slowly back, the body-wash still lingering on her body allowing her breasts to slide against his chest.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s your 'mission',” she said, leaning in to whisper, 'to make me your wife.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, Relena.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She brushed her nose against his before opening her clear blue eyes and peering into his. “Heero, I need to know that you want me just for me. Not because you’re scared, or because you think it’s the only way to protect me.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I could never speak to you again and still protect you the same way,” he answered. “I want you to be my wife because I can’t be without you. I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena considered him a moment. “Ask me, Heero.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now?” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just like that?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Relena nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Marry me, Relena.” He stroked his hands down her back. “Please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena rose up again onto her knees and took Heero’s face in hers, kissing him deeply. “Yes,” she quietly agreed, smiling. “I’ll marry you.” She kissed him again, parting her lips and tasting him. Heero ran his hands up her sides again before taking hold of each wrist; as he ran his tongue over hers he pulled her wrists behind her back, prompting her to lift herself slightly more. With the added space, he ran the head of his member along the apex of her legs. She drew back and opened her eyes, giving him a tiny nod before he pulled her down onto his cock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Relena gasped and leaned back as he slid into her; he pulled back on her wrists and she arched further, pressing her chest out to him again. Heero freed her wrists and pressed his hands against her lower back to support before leaning in, licking and nipping at one breast. He was rewarded with a keening moan as Relena ground her hips against his; he shifted his grip once again, pressing a thumb into the crease of her hip and spanning his fingers down to the back of her thigh. Using the extra purchase, Heero drove into her, pulling and pushing her while flexing his own hips to meet hers.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gave tiny cries punctuated with gasps as he controlled the pace; she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she did her best to push back against him. He shifted his one hand from the small of her back to between her legs and Relena’s moans grew louder and more frantic as he ran his fingers over her pearl. Soon, she came, her nails biting into his skin as she cried out his name. Heero tried to kiss her but she turned away, burying her face in his shoulder again. As she recovered, he could feel the shudder in her breaths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relena, why are you crying?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Heero, please,” she sobbed. It took her a few moments to collect herself, and Heero silently stroked her back as she did. “I feel like I only just got you.” She hiccuped as she caught her breath. “I’m sorry. I just- you can’t just marry me. I won’t be able to stand it if you leave me again.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero smoothed her damp hair back off her face. “Relena, I’m asking you to marry me as a promise.” He gently tried to pull her face back to his, but she resisted. “I don’t take it lightly. I know what it means.” Heero dropped his hands to his sides. “We’re strongest when we’re together. You’ll never lose me, Relena. Believe in me.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she straightened up, she choked out “I do believe in you”. Heero watched as she blinked back tears and he brushed away the ones she had already shed. She looked at him expectantly, anxiously, and he helped her to stand up before turning off the water and stepping out of the shower. He passed her a towel before using one himself, tousling his hair and drying off his body. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they had both dried off, Heero took Relena’s hand and led her back to bed. They climbed in together and he leaned over her. “I’m yours,” he breathed, kissing her tenderly, “just like you’re mine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Promise.” Her eyes still shone with threatening tears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I promise you,” he said, leaning up on an elbow. “I love you. I want to be by your side, always.” Heero cupped her face and ran a thumb across her cheek. “Will you marry me, Relena?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She nodded softly. “Yes, Heero."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes. </span>
  </em>
  <span>As soon as she spoke her affirmation he was upon her again, positioning himself between her thighs and thrusting his length back inside of her. He leaned down to kiss her, enjoying a few before she turned her head away; overwhelmed and sensitized, she fought to catch her breath. Heero leaned back and brought one of Relena’s ankles up to his shoulder. The new angle and Relena’s breathy cries spurred him on, and Heero plunged into her with a deep and steady pace, each thrust bringing them closer to the edge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt Relena’s body quiver under his. “Heero,” she breathed, her hands clutching the edges of her pillow. “Heero, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heero came just as he felt her walls collapse around him. The warmth of his seed spread into her he finished, bringing her leg down off his shoulder and leaning down onto his palms. Relena’s hands ran down his chest as she whispered “I love you”; Heero leaned in and kissed her before withdrawing from her sheath and lying down heavily next to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you, too,” he answered, stroking her hair and turning onto his back so she should nestle against his chest. It was still dark outside, and they both basked in the afterglow for a while, dozing. Heero reached out and pulled the covers back over them and within minutes he felt Relena’s breathing even out. He felt more than a little guilt over the ring still buried in amongst his unpacked things, and resisted the urge to go and find it so he could truly stake his claim over his new fiancée.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took all that remained of Heero’s willpower not to react as he heard the quiet notification chime of his laptop. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Positive match.</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A deep, sincere apology to all my other WIPs because this plot just snuck in and has stolen all my interest for the time being. A prequel/sequel soon to follow!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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